Everyone will likely come across a bad boss at some point in their career: a manager that can talk the talk, but simply can’t walk the walk. In fact, according to our recent research, the majority (82.2%) of UK professionals have had to deal with a poor leader in their working life and this can have serious negative implications for a business in terms of recruitment, retention and overall productivity.
In fact, the survey from CV-Library asked professionals to reveal what it is that they look for in a boss and found that UK workers feel there are certain traits that all good leaders should show. Below I will outline the top five leadership qualities that you should possess in order to be the best leader you can, and to continue driving your workforce forward.
- Confidence
Over three quarters (76.2%) of workers admitted that they enjoy following a leader, but it’s unlikely that anyone would want to follow someone who isn’t confident in their own abilities. As a result confidence came top of the list for the personality traits that a good leader should have, with 50.4% of professionals agreeing.
Part of being a strong manger is being able to take charge, make decisions and also take responsibility for the results – especially if something goes wrong. Being confident in yourself and your ability to lead your team is a big part of this – if you show signs of doubt you’ll likely filter this down to your direct reports.
- Honesty
No one likes to feel they’re being lied to, and at work this can be even more important. As a result, 34.3% of workers voted honesty as one of the most important aspects of leadership. As a boss it’s vital that you are open and honest with your staff, otherwise it could cause problems further down the line.
Not only this, but rumours can spread fast, especially in office environments, and withholding information from your employees could lead to potentially damaging misunderstandings. It’s important to remember that while you are the boss, you’re still working with other professionals, and they should be treated as such. Essentially, honest is the best policy (in most situations!).
- Integrity
On a similar track to honesty, 34% said they want a leader with integrity. Navigating people’s different beliefs and morals can be difficult, but ultimately you need a strong set of principles and to stick by these. Setting out your vision and values for your business and also your workforce is important. You then need to ensure you remain true to these; this will help to keep you all on same page and working towards the same end goal.
- Positivity
Work can be stressful at times, but positivity was important to 31.9% of professionals. When hiring, you will have no doubt searched for passionate and positive workers, but even so, everyone has their down days. Being able to stay positive and upbeat is a key leadership trait and can quickly spread through the workforce to ensure your workplace is a happy one.
It’s especially important to remain positive when times get tough or mistakes are made. Employees look to their leader for support, not for them to fall apart when things go wrong.
- Trustworthiness
Trust is a two way street; you want to trust your staff to work their hardest and get the best results, and they want to trust you, and be trusted! Being open and honest with your staff and proving that they can rely on you is extremely important. This not only helps to create a great company culture, but also keeps workers loyal, happy and motivated.
~Business Game Changer Special Promotion~
Poor management can have dire consequences on a business. Employees can quickly become demotivated, damaging your overall productivity levels. What’s more, low morale can spread quickly throughout a workforce and could result in talented team members leaving the business altogether. By ensuring that you embody these five leadership qualities, you can create a positive and driven workforce, reduce staff turnover, and even potentially attract talented new recruits.
